No matter how twisted, bitter, and cynical we become as Outposters, unable to have any joy in our hearts for any of the slop Hollywood continues to try to serve us, some movies will always break through. Just for a moment, they can cause a flicker of emotion deep inside, just enough to remind us that we aren’t quite dead yet. That joy can still exist. Free Willy is one of those movies.
A boy and his whale, with the lead from Reservoir Dogs. It couldn’t work. It shouldn’t work, and yet it just does! The 1993 family classic was a big hit. It cost less than $20 million and made over $150 million, while spawning sequels and an animated spin-off.
The original followed a troubled orphan, 12-year-old named Jesse (Jason James Richter) who befriends a captive orca, Willy, at an ailing amusement park. When he discovers that the park owner has been planning to dispose of Willy, he hatches a scheme to break Willy out of captivity. Lori Petty and Michael Madsen co-starred alongside a real Orca called Keiko.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Pictures and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO are teaming up for a ‘reimagining’, with Mary-Margaret Kunze (The Boroughs) and Jade Halley Bartlett (Miller’s Girl) as writers.
The original leaned heavily into the use of the real captive Orca, and some high-quality animatronics. That is all an integral part of the charm of the original. It also makes it feel real, tactile. Will the Russo Bros. be able to steer away from the modern need to use CGI for everything?
Of course, if you want to go about remaking movies about Orca, then we have an idea…
Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco, Kassee Whiting, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Courtney Baker will produce. Anthony and Joe Russo are executive producers.
